This article lists rivers by their average discharge measured in descending order of their water flow rate. Here, only those rivers whose discharge is more than 2,000 m3/s (71,000 cu ft/s) are shown. It can be thought of as a list of the biggest rivers on Earth, measured by a specific metric.
For context, the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool is 2,500 m3. The average flow rate at the mouth of the Amazon is sufficient to fill more than 83 such pools each second. The combined flow of all the rivers in this list adds up to 1,192,134 m3/s.
No | Continent | River | Average discharge (m3/s) |
Length | Drainage area (km2) |
Outflow | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(km) | (miles) | |||||||
1 | South America | Amazon | 224,000 | 6,992 | 4,344 | 6,915,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[1][2][3] |
2 | Asia | Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna | 43,950 | 3,969 | 2,466 | 1,999,000 | Bay of Bengal | Primary river[4][5][6][7] |
3 | Africa | Congo (Zaire) | 41,400 | 4,370 | 2,716 | 3,822,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[8] |
4 | South America | Orinoco | 37,740 | 2,250 | 1,398 | 989,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[9] |
5 | Asia | Yangtze | 31,900 | 6,300 | 3,915 | 1,840,000 | East China Sea | Primary river[4][10] |
6 | South America | Negro | 30,641 | 2,230 | 1,390 | 691,000 | Amazon | Tributary river[11] |
7 | South America | Madeira | 30,173 | 3,380 | 2,100 | 1,376,000 | Amazon | Tributary river[11] |
8 | South America | Río de la Plata | 27,225 | 290 | 180 | 3,182,064 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[12] |
9 | Asia | Brahmaputra | 21,993 | 2,900 | 1,800 | 651,335 | Ganges (Padma) | Tributary river[13][14][15] |
10 | North America | Mississippi | 21,300 | 3,766 | 2,340 | 3,248,000 | Gulf of Mexico | Primary river[16][17][18][19] |
11 | Asia | Yenisei | 20,200 | 4,090 | 2,556 | 2,580,000 | Kara Sea | Primary river[20] |
12 | South America | Paraná | 19,706 | 4,880 | 3,050 | 2,582,672 | Río de la Plata | Tributary river[12] |
13 | Asia | Ganges | 18,691 | 2,525 | 1,569 | 1,300,000 | Bay of Bengal | Primary river[21] |
14 | Asia | Lena | 18,300 | 4,294 | 2,668 | 2,490,000 | Laptev Sea | Primary river[20][22] |
15 | South America | Japurá (Caquetá) | 18,122 | 2,816 | 1,750 | 267,730 | Amazon | Tributary river[23][11] |
16 | North America | Saint Lawrence | 16,800 | 500 | 310 | 1,344,200 | Gulf of Saint Lawrence | Primary river[24] |
17 | South America | Marañón | 16,708 | 1,737 | 1,079 | 358,000 | Amazon | Tributary river[25] |
18 | Asia | Mekong | 15,856 | 4,023 | 2,500 | 811,000 | South China Sea | Primary river[26][3] |
19 | Asia | Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) | 15,112 | 2,210 | 1,370 | 413,710 | Andaman Sea | Primary river[21] |
20 | South America | Tapajós | 13,540 | 1,996 | 1,240 | 492,481 | Amazon | Tributary river[27][11] |
21 | South America | Ucayali | 13,385 | 2,670 | 1,659 | 351,549 | Amazon | Tributary river[28] |
22 | Asia | Ob | 13,100 | 4,345 | 2,700 | 2,990,000 | Gulf of Ob | Primary river[20] |
23 | South America | Tocantins | 11,796 | 2,699 | 1,677 | 764,183 | Atlantic Ocean (Pará) | Primary river[note 1][29][1] |
24 | Asia | Amur | 11,526 | 4,444 | 2,762 | 1,855,000 | Sea of Okhotsk | Primary river[26][30][31] |
25 | Africa | Kasai (Kwa) | 11,318 | 2,272 | 1,405 | 881,890 | Congo | Tributary river[32] |
26 | South America | Purus | 11,207 | 3,211 | 1,995 | 371,042 | Amazon | Tributary river[11] |
27 | North America | Mackenzie | 9,800 | 4,241 | 2,636 | 1,805,200 | Beaufort Sea | Primary river[20] |
28 | South America | Xingu | 9,680 | 2,240 | 1,392 | 531,250 | Amazon | Tributary river[27][11] |
29 | Asia | Pearl (Xi) | 9,500 | 2,400 | 1,491 | 437,000 | South China Sea | Primary river[33] |
30 | South America | Madre de Dios | 9,350 | 1,347 | 837 | 282,000 | Madeira | Tributary river[34] |
31 | South America | Putumayo (Içá) | 8,520 | 1,813 | 1,121 | 148,000 | Amazon | Tributary river[11] |
32 | Europe | Volga | 8,380 | 3,531 | 2,194 | 1,380,000 | Caspian Sea | Primary river[35] |
33 | South America | Mamoré | 8,150 | 1,930 | 1,199 | 611,800 | Madeira | Tributary river[34] |
34 | South America | Magdalena | 8,058 | 1,540 | 963 | 257,438 | Caribbean Sea | Primary river[36] |
35 | North America | Ohio | 7,957 | 1,579 | 981 | 490,601 | Mississippi | Tributary river[37] |
36 | Africa | Niger | 7,900 | 4,200 | 2,600 | 2,117,000 | Gulf of Guinea | Primary river[38] |
37 | South America | Guaviare | 7,529 | 1,497 | 930 | 140,000 | Orinoco | Tributary river[9] |
38 | North America | Columbia | 7,407 | 2,044 | 1,243 | 668,217 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river[26][39] |
39 | Oceania | Fly | 7,355 | 1,060 | 649 | 76,000 | Gulf of Papua | Primary river[40][41] |
40 | South America | Uruguay | 7,058 | 1,838 | 1,140 | 353,451 | Río de la Plata | Tributary river[12] |
41 | North America | Yukon | 6,860 | 3,187 | 1,980 | 854,700 | Bering Sea | Primary river[42] |
42 | South America | Napo | 6,660 | 1,075 | 665 | 100,518 | Amazon | Tributary river[43] |
43 | Asia | Salween | 6,600 | 3,289 | 2,044 | 324,000 | Andaman Sea | Primary river[44] |
44 | Europe | Danube | 6,510 | 2,860 | 1,777 | 801,463 | Black Sea | Primary river[45] |
45 | South America | Araguaia | 6,420 | 2,627 | 1,632 | 377,000 | Tocantins | Tributary river[46][23] |
46 | Asia | Kapuas | 6,012 | 1,143 | 710 | 98,749 | South China Sea | Primary river[47] |
47 | South America | Juruá | 6,004 | 3,283 | 2,040 | 186,000 | Amazon | Tributary river[11] |
48 | Africa | Ubangi | 5,936 | 2,272 | 1,405 | 651,915 | Congo | Tributary river[32] |
49 | North America | Niagara | 5,885 | 58 | 36 | 684,000 | Lake Ontario | Tributary river[48] |
50 | South America | Meta | 5,694 | 1,200 | 742 | 103,000 | Orinoco | Tributary river[9] |
51 | Asia | Meghna | 5,603 | 1,040 | 646 | 85,401 | Lower Meghna | Tributary river[49] |
52 | Asia | Indus | 5,589 | 3,180 | 2,000 | 1,081,718 | Arabian Sea | Primary river[26][50] |
53 | Asia | Aldan | 5,501 | 2,273 | 1,412 | 729,000 | Lena | Tributary river[51][23] |
54 | Oceania | Mamberamo | 5,500 | 1,175 | 727 | 78,992 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river[52] |
55 | South America | Branco | 5,400 | 775 | 479 | 195,000 | Rio Negro | Tributary river |
56 | North America | Detroit | 5,300 | 44 | 28 | 595,052 | Lake Erie | Primary river[note 2] |
57 | South America | Javari | 5,225 | 1,184 | 732 | 109,680 | Amazon | Tributary river[53][54] |
58 | North America | St. Clair | 5,200 | 65 | 40 | 583,000 | Lake St. Clair | Tributary river[55] |
59 | Oceania | Sepik | 5,000 | 1,146 | 700 | 80,321 | Bismarck Sea | Primary river[56][57] |
60 | South America | Caroní | 4,981 | 952 | 595 | 95,000 | Orinoco | Tributary river[9] |
61 | South America | Essequibo | 4,951 | 1,014 | 627 | 150,769 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[26] |
62 | South America | Juruena | 4,937 | 1,240 | 770 | 192,628 | Tapajós | Tributary river[11] |
63 | Africa | Ogooué | 4,935 | 1,200 | 747 | 223,856 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river[58] |
64 | Asia | Angara | 4,833 | 1,779 | 1,100 | 1,079,000 | Yenisei | Tributary river[59] |
65 | Europe | Pechora | 4,800 | 1,809 | 1,124 | 322,000 | Barents Sea | Primary river[60] |
66 | Asia | Chindwin | 4,740 | 1,207 | 750 | 114,000 | Irrawaddy | Tributary river[61] |
67 | Asia | Rajang | 4,715 | 563 | 350 | 52,009 | South China Sea | Primary river[47][62] |
68 | South America | Paraguay | 4,696 | 2,621 | 1,629 | 1,120,154 | Parana | Tributary river[12] |
69 | Asia | Barito | 4,514 | 1,090 | 550 | 81,675 | Java Sea | Primary river[47][63] |
70 | Africa | Ruki | 4,500 | 1,300 | 804 | 173,790 | Congo | Tributary river[64] |
71 | South America | Vaupés/Uaupes | 4,345 | 1,050 | 650 | 64,370 | Rio Negro | Tributary river[65] |
72 | Asia | Red (Hong) | 4,300 | 1,149 | 714 | 143,600 | Gulf of Tonkin | Primary river[66] |
73 | Asia | Mahakam | 4,278 | 980 | 609 | 77,095 | Makassar Strait | Primary river[47][67] |
74 | Africa | Zambezi | 4,217 | 2,574 | 1,599 | 1,331,000 | Indian Ocean | Primary river[68][69] |
75 | South America | Atrato | 4,140 | 750 | 466 | 36,231 | Caribbean Sea | Primary river[70][71] |
76 | Asia | Nizhnyaya Tunguska | 4,139 | 2,989 | 1,848 | 473,000 | Yenisei | Tributary river[59] |
77 | Asia | Kolyma | 4,100 | 2,129 | 1,317 | 644,000 | East Siberian Sea | Primary river[20] |
78 | Europe | Kama | 4,100 | 1,805 | 1,122 | 507,000 | Volga | Tributary river[35] |
79 | South America | Apaporis | 4,092 | 1,370 | 847 | 54,300 | Japurá | Tributary river[72] |
80 | South America | Aripuanã | 4,087 | 870 | 540 | 145,000 | Madeira | Tributary river[11] |
81 | North America | Grijalva–Usumacinta | 4,028 | 1,000 | 620 | 134,400 | Gulf of Mexico | Primary river[26] |
82 | Oceania | Strickland | 4,000 | 824 | 512 | 36,740 | Fly | Tributary river[73] |
83 | South America | Teles Pires | 3,978 | 1,638 | 1,013 | 141,718 | Tapajós | Tributary river[74] |
84 | North America | Fraser | 3,944 | 1,375 | 854 | 231,593 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river[26] |
85 | Oceania | Digul | 3,867 | 853 | 530 | 45,900 | Arafura Sea | Primary river[75] |
86 | South America | Huallaga | 3,796 | 1,138 | 704 | 95,000 | Marañón | Tributary river[76] |
87 | Asia | Godavari | 3,571 | 1,465 | 910 | 312,812 | Bay of Bengal | Primary river[77] |
88 | South America | Caura | 3,545 | 723 | 449 | 52,000 | Orinoco | Tributary river[9] |
89 | Africa | Benue | 3,477 | 1,370 | 847 | 319,000 | Niger | Tributary river[78] |
90 | Asia | Kaladan | 3,476 | 450 | 278 | 40,000 | Bay of Bengal | Primary river[79] |
91 | South America | Jutai | 3,462 | 1,200 | 742 | 74,000 | Amazon | Tributary river[11] |
92 | North America | Slave | 3,451 | 434 | 270 | 616,400 | Great Slave Lake | Tributary river[80] |
93 | Asia | Lohit | 3,438 | 460 | 285 | 50,000 | Brahmaputra | Tributary river[81] |
94 | Europe | Northern Dvina | 3,416 | 744 | 462 | 357,052 | White Sea | Primary river[82][31] |
95 | South America | Inírida | 3,385 | 1,300 | 804 | 53,795 | Guaviare | Tributary river[72] |
96 | Asia | Shatt al-Arab | 3,350 | 204 | 127 | 938,173 | Persian Gulf | Primary river[83][84] |
97 | North America | Nelson | 3,343 | 2,575 | 1,600 | 982,900 | Hudson Bay | Primary river[82] |
98 | Oceania | Purari | 3,300 | 630 | 390 | 33,670 | Gulf of Papua | Primary river[85] |
99 | Oceania | Kikori | 3,274 | 405 | 250 | 23,309 | Gulf of Papua | Primary river[79] |
100 | Asia | Khatanga | 3,200 | 1,636 | 1,012 | 364,000 | Laptev Sea | Primary river[20] |
101 | Oceania | Pulau | 3,133 | 569 | 353 | 37,164 | Arafura Sea | Primary river[86][85] |
102 | Africa | Nile | 3,075 | 6,853 | 4,258 | 3,349,000 | Mediterranean Sea | Primary river[87] |
103 | Asia | Musi | 3,054 | 759 | 471 | 59,942 | South China Sea | Primary river[88] |
104 | South America | Tigre | 3,047 | 940 | 581 | 45,073 | Marañón | Tributary river[76][89] |
105 | Asia | Subansiri | 3,003 | 442 | 275 | 35,763 | Brahmaputra | Tributary river[90] |
106 | Asia | Ghaghara | 2,993 | 1,080 | 671 | 127,950 | Ganges | Tributary river[91] |
107 | Asia | Irtysh | 2,980 | 4,248 | 2,627 | 1,673,470 | Ob | Tributary river |
108 | Asia | Yamuna | 2,949 | 1,376 | 855 | 366,223 | Ganges | Tributary river[91] |
109 | South America | São Francisco | 2,943 | 2,830 | 1,758 | 641,000 | Atlantic Ocean | Primary river |
110 | Asia | Srepok | 2,940 | 450 | 279 | 79,015 | Mekong | Tributary river[81] |
111 | Africa | Kwango | 2,932 | 1,100 | 680 | 270,904 | Kasai | Tributary river[92] |
112 | Asia | Panjnad | 2,910 | 71 | 44 | 395,000 | Indus | Tributary river[93] |
113 | Europe | Rhine | 2,900 | 1,233 | 820 | 198,735 | North Sea | Primary river[94] |
114 | Asia | Yarlung Tsangpo | 2,899 | 1,125 | 699 | 241,691 | Brahmaputra | Tributary River[95][96] |
115 | South America | Beni | 2,875 | 1,100 | 680 | 131,500 | Madre de Dios | Tributary river[34] |
116 | Asia | Gan | 2,865 | 599 | 372 | 103,107 | Yangtze | Tributary river[10] |
117 | South America | Trombetas | 2,855 | 1,060 | 656 | 135,239 | Amazon | Tributary river |
118 | Asia | Min | 2,850 | 735 | 457 | 133,000 | Yangtze | Tributary river[97] |
119 | Asia | Xiang | 2,848 | 948 | 589 | 102,148 | Yangtze | Tributary river[10] |
120 | North America | Koksoak | 2,800 | 137 | 85 | 133,400 | Ungava Bay | Primary river[98] |
121 | Europe | Neva | 2,770 | 74 | 46 | 287,094 | Gulf of Finland | Primary river[26][99] |
122 | South America | Pastaza | 2,769 | 740 | 458 | 41,000 | Marañón | Tributary river[76] |
123 | South America | Iriri | 2,745 | 1,300 | 810 | 130,000 | Xingu | Tributary river |
124 | South America | Cuyuni | 2,719 | 618 | 384 | 85,635 | Essequibo | Tributary river[100] |
125 | Asia | Mali Hka | 2,693 | 320 | 200 | 23,221 | Irrawaddy | Tributary river[101] |
126 | Africa | Cross | 2,647 | 489 | 304 | 53,590 | Gulf of Guinea | Primary river[26] |
127 | Asia | Batang Hari | 2,643 | 800 | 497 | 46,504 | South China Sea | Primary river[88] |
128 | Asia | Amu Darya | 2,618 | 2,400 | 1,491 | 534,739 | Aral Sea | Primary river[102] |
129 | South America | Casiquiare | 2,574 | 340 | 210 | 82,800 | Rio Negro | Tributary river[65] |
130 | Asia | Yellow | 2,571 | 5,464 | 3,395 | 752,000 | Yellow Sea | Primary river |
131 | Asia | Mahanadi | 2,562 | 900 | 560 | 141,600 | Bay of Bengal | Primary river[103] |
132 | Asia | Pyasina | 2,550 | 818 | 508 | 182,000 | Kara Sea | Primary river |
133 | Africa | Sankuru | 2,500 | 1,200 | 756 | 156,000 | Kasai | Tributary river |
134 | Asia | Koshi | 2,500 | 729 | 453 | 69,300 | Ganges | Tributary river[91] |
135 | Africa | Sangha | 2,471 | 790 | 489 | 213,400 | Congo | Tributary river[32] |
136 | Asia | Songhua | 2,463 | 1,434 | 887 | 557,180 | Amur | Tributary river |
137 | Asia | Ghorautra | 2,463 | 90 | 56 | 24,060 | Meghna | Tributary river[49] |
138 | Asia | Kayan | 2,454 | 576 | 358 | 33,005 | Celebes Sea | Primary river[104] |
139 | North America | Missouri | 2,445 | 3,767 | 2,341 | 1,371,010 | Mississippi | Tributary river[31] |
140 | North America | Liard | 2,434 | 1,115 | 693 | 277,100 | Mackenzie | Tributary river |
141 | South America | Guainía | 2,433 | 640 | 400 | 28,900 | Rio Negro | Tributary river[65] |
142 | South America | Guapore | 2,430 | 1,260 | 783 | 341,000 | Mamoré | Tributary river |
143 | South America | Ituí | 2,422 | 558 | 347 | 43,403 | Javari | Tributary river[53][11] |
144 | South America | Rio Grande | 2,400 | 1,360 | 841 | 143,000 | Paraná | Tributary river |
145 | South America | Paragua | 2,389 | 550 | 340 | 39,605 | Caroní | Tributary river[105] |
146 | Asia | Vitim | 2,379 | 1,940 | 1,210 | 225,000 | Lena | Tributary river[59] |
147 | South America | Cauca | 2,364 | 1,180 | 730 | 59,840 | Magdalena | Tributary river |
148 | South America | Yarí | 2,360 | 620 | 383 | 31,650 | Japurá | Tributary river |
149 | South America | Urubamba | 2,330 | 724 | 448 | 60,300 | Ucayali | Tributary river[76] |
150 | South America | Jacuí | 2,327 | 723 | 449 | 82,618 | Lagoa dos Patos | Primary river[106][107] |
151 | South America | San Juan | 2,304 | 380 | 240 | 15,000 | Pacific Ocean | Primary river[36] |
152 | South America | Apure | 2,300 | 1,038 | 645 | 121,400 | Orinoco | Tributary river[9] |
153 | South America | Uatumã | 2,291 | 701 | 436 | 67,920 | Amazon | Tributary river[108] |
154 | South America | Içana | 2,279 | 676 | 420 | 35,675 | Rio Negro | Tributary river[109] |
155 | South America | Jamanxim | 2,217 | 666 | 414 | 58,771 | Tapajós | Tributary river[65][110] |
156 | Asia | Krishna River | 2,213 | 1,400 | 870 | 258,948 | Bay of Bengal | Primary river[111] |
157 | Africa | Aruwimi | 2,200 | 1,287 | 799 | 116,100 | Congo | Tributary river[112] |
158 | North America | Red River | 2,187 | 2,190 | 1,360 | 239,195 | Atchafalaya | Tributary river[113] |
159 | South America | Ventuari | 2,160 | 520 | 322 | 40,861 | Orinoco | Tributary river[114] |
160 | South America | Curaray | 2,155 | 800 | 500 | 26,775 | Napo | Tributary river[76] |
161 | North America | Tennessee | 2,140 | 1,049 | 652 | 105,870 | Ohio | Tributary river[115] |
162 | North America | St. Marys | 2,135 | 120 | 75 | 127,700 | Lake Huron | Tributary river |
163 | South America | Canumã | 2,135 | 900 | 560 | 52,433 | Madeira | Tributary river[116] |
164 | South America | Tapauá | 2,135 | 640 | 400 | 63,185 | Purus | Tributary river[11] |
165 | Asia | Jialing | 2,120 | 1,345 | 836 | 160,000 | Yangtze | Tributary river[97] |
166 | North America | Mobile | 2,118 | 72 | 45 | 112,530 | Gulf of Mexico | Primary river[117] |
167 | North America | Peace | 2,110 | 1,923 | 1,195 | 306,000 | Slave | Tributary river |
168 | Asia | Olyokma | 2,110 | 1,436 | 892 | 210,000 | Lena | Tributary river |
169 | Asia | Yuan | 2,106 | 864 | 537 | 93,287 | Yangtze | Tributary river[118] |
170 | South America | Ji-Paraná | 2,100 | 820 | 510 | 76,127 | Madeira | Tributary river[119] |
171 | Africa | Sanaga | 2,072 | 1,067 | 663 | 132,990 | Gulf of Guinea | Primary river[112] |
172 | Africa | Lomami | 2,062 | 1,450 | 900 | 104,162 | Congo | Tributary river[120] |
173 | Asia | Hongshui | 2,049 | 669.6 | 416.1 | 141,674 | Xi | Tributary river |
174 | Africa | Lulonga | 2,040 | 200 | 120 | 76,950 | Congo | Tributary river[121] |
175 | Asia | Gandaki | 2,025 | 814 | 506 | 46,300 | Ganges | Tributary river |
176 | Asia | Anadyr | 2,020 | 1,150 | 710 | 191,000 | Gulf of Anadyr | Primary river[79] |
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Cite error: There are <ref group=note>
tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}}
template (see the help page).